


Hyde Asks Jackie To Stay

by springsteenicious



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, season 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:54:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26780248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springsteenicious/pseuds/springsteenicious
Summary: When Hyde finds Jackie in the basement when she's supposed to be in Chicago, his first instinct is to push her away. Instead, he asks her to stay.
Relationships: Eric Forman/Donna Pinciotti, Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	Hyde Asks Jackie To Stay

Hyde walked into the basement, looking past Kelso only to come face to face with Jackie. Who wasn't even supposed to be in this state. 

"Jackie," he said, "Why aren't you in Chicago? And why do you smell like a dead dog?" He waved his hand in front of his nose. She just gave him a look. "I thought you left town." 

"Why? Because you're so amazing and incredible that I simply couldn't exist in the same town as you knowing you couldn't make a commitment?" Jackie said. 

"No, because you left me a note saying you left town," Hyde said. Duh. 

"Oh. Well, that, Steven, was a metaphor... a metaphor for the fact that my heart and mind are gone, but my body is still here, in this very awkward situation," she said.

Damn right it was awkward. Why the hell would she say she was leaving if she wasn't going to actually leave? Why would she leave before letting him give her an answer? 

Kelso spoke for the first time since Hyde got there. "Want me to cover you up with the stinky blanket?" Jackie smacked his shoulder. 

"Would you guys get lost?" Hyde asked. If he was going to talk to Jackie, he would do it without an audience. 

"Oh, you want your privacy, I understand. We're just gonna go upstairs and listen through the vent," Fez said. He and Kelso ran upstairs. Hyde walked over to the other side of the basement. 

"So, what are you doing here, Jackie? You got something you wanna say to me?" Hyde asked. Maybe something like 'Sorry for giving you an ultimatum' or 'Sorry I told you I left when I really didn't.' 

"Yes. I wanted to say that I'm leaving for real this time," Jackie said. 

"So you came back to tell me you're leaving again?" Hyde asked. What was her problem? Did she want to break his heart more than she already had? 

"Yes, but this is goodbye," Jackie said. 

That was probably bullshit. She didn't have a car and she hated the bus. She didn't have a way to get to Chicago. "All right, I'll see you tomorrow then." 

"Steven, I'm serious." 

"So want to hang out next week?" If she was going to come back and be bitchy, he was going to be a bit of a jackass. 

She threw her hands up in frustration. She walked over to the door as she said, "I'm going." She paused at the door. "Unless… Unless, Steven, there's something you'd like to say, in which case I'm listening." 

She was giving him a second chance. It would probably be his last. He was pissed at her for giving him that ultimatum, but if he was truly honest with himself, his love for her overpowered his anger. 

He looked at her expectant eyes. He was taking a long time to answer, he knew that, but he needed a moment to think. He could let her go now or he could get her back. 

"I do have a few things I wanna say. Don't say anything until I'm done, okay?" She nodded. "First, screw you for giving me an ultimatum. I hated it. Second… Jackie, I want to be with you. I don't want to get married right now, I think we should wait a little while. We both need to have solid jobs and you should go to college. But, Jackie, I do want to be with you for all that, okay? If you'll have me." 

Jackie opened her mouth to respond, but Kelso's voice interrupted. "Can you guys talk a little louder and move closer to the vent?" 

Hyde walked over to where the vent was and shouted. "Go away!" 

"Fine!" Kelso shouted back. Hyde heard footsteps above. He walked back over to Jackie. 

"Steven, that's all I wanted to hear. That's all I've wanted to hear for months now. I don't want to get married immediately. I just needed to know that we have a future. Hell, we don't have to ever get married as long as we're still together!" Jackie said. 

"You could've said that! Man, that would've saved us so much fighting," Hyde said. "Jackie, when I think about the future, you've always been a part of it." 

Jackie grinned. "Oh, Steven!" 

She pulled him in for a kiss and he didn't fight it. Not that he wanted to. It felt so good to kiss her again. Sure, it had only been a couple days, but it had felt like years. She parted the kiss after a few minutes. 

"I have to tell the station in Chicago I'm turning down the job," Jackie said. 

"I don't want you to give up your dream job for me," Hyde said. That was exactly why he hadn't wanted to get married soon. He didn't want her throwing away her future for him. 

"It's not my dream job. It was a great offer, but I'll have other options. I'm very desirable," Jackie said. 

Hyde snorted. She would always be Jackie. He loved that. No reason not to tell her. "I love you, Jackie." 

"I love you too, Steven," Jackie said. She kissed him again. "Ooh, now that I'm not leaving I can kick Eric in the 'nads for going to Africa!" 

"Hell yeah," Hyde said. 

Jackie wrapped her arms around his waist. He laced his hands together on the small of her back. It felt good just to hold her in his arms again. After at least five minutes of just hugging, Jackie pulled back. 

"We should go make sure those idiots weren't listening," Jackie said. 

"Yeah, we should," Hyde said. 

He slipped his fingers between hers and they walked up the stairs into the kitchen. Through the sliding door, they saw Kelso and Fez playing basketball with Charlie. 

They walked outside, hands still intertwined, to hear Charlie say, "You know, you probably hear this all the time, but you're really smart." 

"Are you joking?" Hyde asked. "I can't tell if you're joking." 

Fez stared at their hands and gasped. "You two made up!" 

Hyde looked at Jackie, who smiled. "Yeah, we did," she said. 

"So, when's the wedding?" Kelso asked. 

"Not for several years," Hyde said. 

"Do you guys smell smoke?" Charlie asked. 

Hyde took a deep breath. Something was definitely burning. 

"Everyone out of the house!" Bob yelled as he ran into the driveway. "I used too much oil in the Fry Baby. The whole kitchen's filled with smoke!" 

Kitty and Red came out of the house. "Bob? Bob, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but my shrimp are ruined. So I'm gonna have to eat with you guys. I hope you're making something good, Kitty," Bob said. 

Hyde turned when he heard Forman's voice shouting, "Fire! Fire!" Forman and Donna rushed into the driveway; Forman in his underwear and a Stormtrooper helmet, Donna dressed as Princess Leia. 

Hyde started laughing, removing his hand from Jackie's to wrap his arm around her shoulders. He could feel her shaking with silent laughter. 

"What the hell is on your head?" Red asked. 

"I'm still wearing the helmet, aren't I?" Forman asked. 

"Oh yeah, man," Hyde said. 

"What did you do to my daughter?" Bob asked. 

Forman took off his helmet and looked around, eyes lingering on Hyde and Jackie for a little longer. He turned back to Bob and said, "Nothing. I was a perfect gentleman. I just squeezed her buns." 

Kitty turned to Donna and said, "I suggested a photograph, not a go-go dance from outer space." 

"But this is so much funnier, Mrs. Forman," Hyde said. 

"I'm gonna go put out Bob's fire. When I get back, I'm kicking your ass, Eric," Red said. He walked over to the Pinciottis', followed by Bob. Kitty shook her head and went inside the house. 

"So, what's the deal with-" Jackie gestured to Eric, "-this?"

"Going away present," Donna said. 

"You got him a present? For deciding to ditch you for a year?" Jackie asked. 

Donna pursed her lips. "Yeah." 

Forman stepped forward, "I'm gonna go right ahead and change the subject." He pointed to Jackie and Hyde. "Did you two make up?" 

Jackie and Hyde nodded. 

Forman pressed a hand over his heart and fake swooned. "Did you tell her you love her?" 

"None of your business, Stormtrooper Tighty Whities," Hyde said. 

"All right, I deserve that," Forman said. "I'm gonna go put on some pants." Forman walked into the house. 

"Donna, why would you do this?" Kelso asked. "It's so weird." 

"He liked it, okay? That's all that matters," Donna said. 

"Why are you rewarding Eric for leaving? If Steven told me he was going to another continent for a year I'd kick him in the shins until he stayed," Jackie said. 

"An hour ago you were going to leave me to go to Chicago," Hyde said. 

"That's only two hours away, you could have visited," Jackie said. 

Hyde shook his head. He would never understand her logic. 

"Listen, Eric needs to do this for himself. I think it'll be good for him. Obviously, I'm not happy about a lot of other things with his decision, but I'll get over it," Donna said. 

"Donna, you have to talk to him about it. Tell him what you don't like about his decision. Tell him he's a selfish bitch that should be considering your feelings since you gave up your entire future for him," Jackie said. 

"BURN!" Kelso shouted. 

"Ah-burn, indeed!" Fez said. 

"I have no idea what anyone's talking about," Charlie said, smiling. 

Fez stepped forward. "I got this. See, I gave Red a heart attack, so Eric stayed home from college to take care of him. Donna did not go to college since Eric was not going with her, effectively ruining her future." 

"Thanks for the rundown of how I ruined my life, Fez," Donna said. She stormed off toward the basement. 

"You're welcome!" Fez called after her. He turned back to Kelso and Charlie. "Okay, so back to the plan. Charlie must walk in on Red naked. When will Red be naked?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hyde asked. 

"Okay, so, Charlie walked in on Mrs. Forman naked, so now he should walk in on Red naked to even it out. I came up with that." Kelso tapped the side of his head.

"Let me know how that goes, man," Hyde said. 

~

Jackie sat next to Steven at the Formans' dining room table. Charlie, Eric and Donna sat across from them. Fez and Kelso sat on the ends of the table. Kitty, Red and Bob were eating at the kitchen table. 

"So, I think it may not be the best idea to go to Africa," Eric said. "Especially after Donna's half hour long lecture about how she gave up her future for me and now I'm ditching her for a year."

"Oh, good. Now I don't have to kick you until you stay," Jackie said. 

"That's lucky for you, Forman. Her kicks are getting more painful," Steven said. 

"No, I just kept getting really mad at you," Jackie admitted. Steven gave her a look. "I won't be kicking you as hard or as often now, though! I don't give my future husband painful kicks." 

"Future husband?" Charlie asked. "Are you two engaged?" 

"Please say no. I'm not ready yet," Eric said. 

"No, we're not engaged. We will be someday though," Steven said. 

"Yeah, he thinks I go to college first," Jackie said. "That's probably a good idea." 

"Hey, if Jackie's looking for a college, she should look with Eric and I!" Donna said. She gasped. "Maybe we can get apartments next to each other!" 

"And Eric and Jackie can find scholarship programs together! Y'know, 'cause neither of them have money," Michael said.

"Michael makes a good point. Donna, how am I supposed to pay for my own apartment when I can't even pay tuition?" Jackie asked. 

"What if I moved in with you?" Steven asked. "Then it wouldn't cost as much." 

Jackie gasped. "Oh, Steven, I would love that!" 

"Then we can start apartment searching sometime this week," Steven said with a smile. Jackie beamed and hugged him as best she could from her chair. 

Just this morning, Jackie had thought her life was ruined. She'd thought she would never be with Steven again and would never get to Chicago for her job. Now, she was at Steven's side with the knowledge that one day they'd get married. And they'd be moving in together soon. 

Jackie's life was nowhere near ruined. In fact, it was better than it had been in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> number 16 for my numbered draft game on Tumblr at springsteenicious!


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